The process to transform more than 23 post offices into designated areas for national identification system (NIDS) centres has started, as the government prepares to roll-out a pilot project set to commence later this year.
The Central Sorting Office (CSO) in South Camp Road in Kingston has since been renovated and was re-opened last week. The NIDS project contributed approximately $10 million to the renovation of the CSO and will similarly assist with the modernisation of post offices designated to be enrollment centres.
“The postal services and the national identification system (NIDS) have forged a mutually beneficial partnership, which will ensure the benefit of our stakeholders. A number of strategically located post offices across the island will be designated as NIDS enrolment sites and the renovated CSO is the first to be operationalised,” said Chairman of the Postal Corporation of Jamaica, Professor Felix Akinladejo.
The controversial NIDS is to be the central national database for all Jamaicans. A unique lifelong national identification number will be issued to every person and use of biometric (fingerprint or retina) scan is also being explored. The NIDS which is being financed by the International Development Bank (IDB) was struck down by the Constitutional Court during a landmark ruling in 2019.
A three-judge panel comprising Chief Justice Bryan Sykes, Justice Lisa Palmer Hamilton and Justice David Batts were unanimous in their decision that the NIDS Act was null and void because certain aspects of the legislation breached the rights of Jamaicans to privacy as is guaranteed by the Constitution.
A new National Identification and Registration (NIDS) Act 2021 was passed in the House of Representatives last year October with 14 amendments.
The minister that has responsibility for the NIDS Project, Floyd Green, stated that the NIDS Pilot Programme is not expected to commence until the end of the year.
